Romance with the Cursed Siren

CHAPTER 7. Fairy Tale

Christian dives into the water but he didn't last long and rose up again, gasping for air.

"Heck! I still can't find my daughter!" He cursed, furiously.

"I don't understand, how could she hold her breath that long underwater?" Gabriel confusingly asked.

"I don't have time for explaining, young man. It's almost sunset and I need to find Crystal very soon or she'll drown." Christian said and was about to go down again when Gabriel stopped him. 

"Let me try." He offered even though he didn't understand a thing about what's happening. All he knows is that Crystal is in danger and needs to be found as soon as possible under the waving salty water.

He took off his shirt and reluctantly dip in the water as well.

Underwater is a bit dark already but it doesn't stop him to go a little bit deeper with only a tiny torch with him to provide light. He moved his entire body through the water until he felt lacking breath and swam up again to refill his lungs and without second thoughts he dove again. Until he notices something that's shining because of the light's reflection. His eyes squinted as he tried to recognize the unusual thing that was struggling to float.

But, his eyes widened in shock as he gulped a lot of saltwater. However, he still managed to immediately find his control and went up above the water surface.

"Sir!" He immediately called Christian's attention.

Christian didn't utter in response and just dive in quickly again also in the direction he pointed until they finally saw the siren.

Gabriel can't believe what he is seeing, that the beautiful Crystal is a water creature. His heart is pounding while watching Crystal and Christian below. He is not sure what to do and felt the scene was just a dream. But when he saw that Christian was having a hard time swimming the trapped siren up to the surface he decided to help him already. He swam, approaching them until Gabriel and Crystal's eyes met.

'So this is the sickness you are talking about, huh?' He asked in his thoughts.

When Gabriel came for support, Christian signaled him to hold the siren since he badly needed to breathe and which the courteous man did. He extended his arms to reach and hold the weak siren that was wrapped by a fishing net. Crystal smiled at him with her tender eyes while Gabriel was focusing to finally bring her to the surface. Christian came back for help until they successfully brought her up.

But before they are able to reach the boat, the sun has set and it's time for the painful change. Crystal grip tightly on her father and Gabriel, which the latter startled with the sudden action. Christian supported her body, he embraced her while her tail was being split underwater. 

Gabriel was stunned by the incredible transformation, he watched Crystal until her smooth and slender legs came out. Christian continued pulling his daughter to the boat and managed to ride on it and Gabriel followed. They quickly take off the net that was being wrapped tightly on Crystal's body while Christian is shaking his head unbelievably because the net has left Crystal some slashed mark and almost cut her skin. He also made Crystal wear his shirt above her dress to give her warmth and without asking any permission he grabbed Gabriel’s shirt as well then used it to dry his daughter’s wet hair.

“May the Spirits punish the one who left this net and anyone else who just threw their garbage in the water!” Christian furiously said while Gabriel was quietly stunned and confused why they keep on saying Spirits rather than God when they ask or pray for something.

“Stop it, dad. We don’t know what happened, maybe that person who you wanted to curse did not intentionally leave it.” His daughter argues even though she’s been hurt and almost drowned, but Christian just huffed in irritation.

Crystal smiled in Gabriel’s direction weakly while trying hard not to take a glimpse of his naked body. She just doesn't want to have a reddened face while her father is around. Unfortunately, the handsome man was still in shock to respond and started to paddle the oar back to the shore where Crystal’s mother was waiting.

“Where did you get this from?” Crystal’s father asked when he noticed a gold bangle on her wrist, the reason for how Gabriel saw her.

“I just found it under the sea. It’s pretty, isn’t it?” She lied, taking a glance in Gabriel's direction who was just quietly listening as he continued on rowing while her father just nodded in response.

Silence surrounded them as they continued to pass along the waves towards the seashore.

“Thank goodness you are safe! But what is this? What happened to you, my dear?” Aya asked hurriedly as she waited for Crystal to get closer to her who was being carried by her father. She immediately kisses her daughter’s face while whimpering because of the uneasiness and fear she felt.  

“Mom, I’m starving.” Crystal complains weakly. 

“I know, we’re going home, okay?” Aya said, cupping her cold cheeks.

Crystal slowly gets up on her feet and stumbles when she can’t find her grip because of the numbness caused by being trapped in the disastrous net for hours. Gabriel quickly moved to support the lady but stopped when Christian already attended to her first. Everything hasn’t sunk into him yet and his mind is still in the process of how a tale suddenly exists in their world.

While they are on their way to the cabin, Christian and Aya can’t help but stare at each other like their minds do the talking and understand one another. While their daughter is silently smiling thinking that her new and first friend saved her even though she is on her siren form. The head of the family suddenly stops when they are almost halfway to their house and turns to face Gabriel. 

“So? What’s on your mind now after seeing my daughter’s siren form?” He inquired with a serious face.

“I don’t know, how was she even able to do that?” He unbelievably responded as he looked ahead to Crystal and her mother walking ahead.

“That’s a long story to tell and I have no plan of sitting and having a coffee with you while chatting about my daughter’s condition.” Christian seriously said.

“Is this the reason why you don’t want me to stay on the island?” Gabriel asked again, but Christian wasn’t able to answer when his daughter shouted.

“Dad! Stop harassing him!” she yelled as she shot her father a piercing look.

“I’m not, sweetheart! I was just thanking him for his help!” He shouted back at her and continued his pace.

“It’s my pleasure, sir,” Gabriel mumbled behind him and smirked secretly while Christian just heaved a sigh for failing to protect the secret of his family.

Once they have arrived, Aya helps Crystal to take a bath and treat her wounds before they join at the table.

Dinner at the cabin is kind of awkward, as no one has uttered any word about what just happened earlier nor Gabriel’s new discovery, except for the cursed siren. Crystal was delighted when Gabriel chose to stay instead of leaving and be scared of her. She also didn’t take off the bracelet since she already made an excuse about it and thought that her parents do not doubt it anymore.

“Crystal, we have to postpone our plan of going to your grandfather tonight.” Christian started a conversation over dinner.

“What!? But why? You promise me, we are going to the city!” Crystal huffed like a child for not wanting the idea of canceling their plan.

“Your father is right. How can we explain the wounds and bruises you have on your body to everyone? especially to your grandfather?” Aya agreed.

Crystal heaved a deep sigh and stood up as she suddenly lost her appetite to continue her food. She went outside the cabin to breathe some air and released the annoyance that suddenly overwhelmed her and kicked a stone somewhere.

“Poor little rock, why don’t you try kicking the big ones near my yacht?” Suddenly Gabriel appeared with a smile showing on his face. But instead of answering, Crystal just grabbed his hand and started pulling him.

“Where are we going?” Gabriel asked.

“You said I should be hitting the big ones, right?” Crystal responded as she kept on pulling him along the forest. 

“Is that the sickness you told me?” Gabriel finally asserted after keeping himself quiet for a while.

Crystal stopped and turned to face him.

“What do you think?” She inquired.

“I think it’s beautiful.” He commented with a genuine smile.

“I knew it,” Crystal mumbled looking up to him.

“You knew what?”

“That my father is wrong, that he was just overreacting by keeping me hidden in this island.” Crystal complained but Gabriel’s smile suddenly changed into a serious one. He held Crystal’s soft hand and looked into her eyes intently.

“Crystal, your father’s choice of staying you away from people is best.” 

“I don’t understand.” Crystal complained unbelievably, pulling her hand off his grip as she wasn’t expecting that Gabriel will agree to her father.

“He is just protecting you from the harmful nature of humans. If someone else saw you like what I have witnessed earlier, you might can’t have your freedom like what you have now.”

“Gabe, I don’t understand. Why are you saying that? Are you going to hurt me?” She asked with her already shaky voice.

“No! I will never hurt you, Crystal, but your condition is unique, it is strange, it’s like a fairy tale and not everyone could understand.” Gabriel tried but couldn't find the right words to explain how weird her situation is.

“But, Gabe, fairy tales are not true and I am real.”

“That’s what I am trying to explain, Crystal. No one believes in that kind of story, not even you and so once they discover about you, they’ll freak.”

“But you didn't,” Crystal retorted.

“That’s because I’m starting to,” he responded and smiled.